Dodge used the same basic winch, the Braden MU2, throughout the production of the WDX-WM300 Power Wagon. Other winches may have been used, but for the most part Dodge used Braden MU2s. These winches came in two different ratings, which was determined by the size of the shear pin.
Braden had a number of different layouts of the winch number throughout the period between 1946-1968. a bit further down are a variety of winches from various years to show what the different layouts looked like. There may be more options then are shown, but as it is basically the same information just moved around a bit, it should still be easy to decode.
Click for larger image |
Click for larger image |
This is the drivers side of the winch, and the important numbers are located on a pad facing up just in front of the fill plug.
The numbers read:
MU2-R
502626
| M | Mechanical drive |
| U | Under slung or Low Mount |
| 2 | Model number |
| R | Right hand gear cut |
| 50 | This is the year the winch was made, in this case 50 equals 1950. Often this number is the year before the truck it is mounted on was built, it seems that the winches were made ahead of time. The number is also sometimes the year the truck was built, though that normally does not happen until near the end of model year production. |
| 2626 | This is the sequential build number of the winch, this should be the 2626th winch made in 1950 if the numbers follow any logic |
This number is another useful clue to figuring out the year of a truck if other numbers/tags are missing.
The early winches seem to be labeled MU2 and the R is in different spots on the pad, the date code, and sequential portion seem to stay put. Several 1946 to 1948 winches were checked and they all had the R in the lower right hand corner as shown in the image below.
Click for larger image
There is also the R in the upper right hand corner as shown on this winch, this has not been seen as often.
Click for larger image
Running from 1950 or so as seen above, until sometime in the middle to late 1950s, the winch was labeled MU2-R.
Starting sometime around 1960 Braden went to the label of MU2-2 and the R again started to move around. Below is the image of a 1962 winch, no R is visible on this winch.
Click for larger image
Braden made the MU2 for a long time, in fact it may still be being made today, but export production of the WM300 ended in 1978, so any MU2 used on a P-W should have a date code prior to 1978. Here is one from 1975, note the R in the middle of the two rows of numbers.
Click for larger image
Some winches have 10 or some other non-year as the first two digits of the date code portion of the winch number. Nothing is yet known about why this is, or if there is another way to get the year of these winches.
I hope to update this page from time to time as more info becomes available, and feedback is given about other information that would be good to include on this page.
Please contact the Registry maintainers at the below email address if you have any suggestions or questions.
